The Tigers wanted Justin Verlander to throw 60 pitches, and he went one over. There's one guy, in particular, who really wishes he hadn't thrown No. 61.

Hmmm, how do we say this with some sensitivity? Let's try this: Jordany Valdespin took a Justin fastball to a very sensitive area.

With one out in the fifth inning of Monday afternoon's game, Valdespin, a New York Mets second baseman, squared to bunt — and shortly after that, he was hit squarely in the, uh, privates. He immediately hit the deck after being on the receiving end of a stunningly wild Verlander fastball, and stayed there until he caught his breath.

It's not funny if it happens to you, of course. But impressively, Valdespin was laughing about it 15 minutes later.

"Geesh," said Tigers catcher Bryan Holaday, who described the sound on the field as a few painful grunts. "I'd have still been down."

But there was Valdespin, not long after, sitting at a picnic table with an apple outside the team's clubhouse at Joker Marchant Stadium. Tigers infielder Ramon Santiago even stopped by to check on things.

"No, first time in my life," said Valdespin, 25, with a smile. "And that's fine!"

His voice, by the way, didn't appear to have shifted any octaves. So that's a plus.

Valdespin, for what it's worth, led off Monday's game with a home run, though there was no retaliation here. Verlander's account was simple: Rarely do you see a batter square completely around to bunt and be totally facing the pitcher. Typically, if a pitch gets in on a bunter, he turns and takes it in the back or the butt — but Valdespin had nowhere to go.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130311/SPORTS0104/303110426#ixzz2NKgZoYle